Can I decline a booking if something feels off?

Yes. Hosts have the right to decline booking requests that don't meet their comfort level. With Instant Book, you can also cancel within a certain window if the booking raises concerns — though frequent cancellations can affect your listing status. We recommend using pre-booking messages and screening criteria to address concerns before they become cancellations.

How common is significant property damage from guests?

Rare. In our management experience, significant damage (beyond normal wear and small breakages) occurs in a very small percentage of stays. Proper screening, clear house rules, and security deposits make it even less likely. When it does happen, platform protection and STR insurance provide financial coverage.

Should I install interior security cameras?

Absolutely not. Interior cameras are a violation of guest privacy and against the policies of all major booking platforms. They can result in listing removal and legal liability. Exterior cameras (front door, driveway) are acceptable and recommended — but must be disclosed in your listing.

What if a guest throws a party despite the rules?

Contact your management company immediately (or the guest directly if self-managing). Document the situation with exterior camera footage and neighbor statements. Report to the booking platform. In serious cases, platforms support early termination of the reservation. At STAY49, we have a documented escalation process for these situations.

Do noise monitoring devices work?

Devices like NoiseAware and Minut detect elevated noise levels (without recording conversations) and send alerts when thresholds are exceeded. They're effective as a deterrent and early warning system. We recommend them for properties in close proximity to neighbors or with a history of noise concerns.

Guest Screening: How to Protect Your Property | Point Roberts STR Guide

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Most guests are great — but a small percentage can cause outsized problems. Screening isn't about being suspicious; it's about being smart.
Platform-level filters (verified ID, positive reviews, minimum account age) prevent most problematic bookings before they happen.
Your booking rules — minimum stay, house rules, and guest agreements — are your first line of defense.
Trust your instincts: if a booking request feels off, it's okay to decline. Platforms allow hosts to decline bookings that don't feel right.
Professional management adds a layer of experience-based screening that solo hosts simply don't have.

Why Guest Screening Matters

The vast majority of vacation rental guests are respectful, responsible people looking for a nice place to stay. In our experience managing Point Roberts properties, problematic guests represent a small fraction of total bookings. But when problems do occur — excessive noise, property damage, unauthorized parties, or rule violations — the impact can be significant: costly repairs, negative neighbor relations, bad reviews, and stress.

Effective screening isn't about being paranoid or turning your rental into a fortress. It's about implementing reasonable safeguards that filter out the small percentage of problematic bookings while keeping the experience seamless for the 95%+ of guests who are wonderful.

<5%

of bookings involve any significant issue

The vast majority of guests are respectful and responsible. Good screening makes that number even smaller.

Platform-Level Screening Tools

Airbnb, VRBO, and other booking platforms offer built-in screening features. Using them effectively is your first and most important line of defense.

Verified identity: Require government ID verification for all guests. On Airbnb, this is a setting you can enable in your listing preferences.
Review history: Guests with multiple positive reviews from previous stays are significantly lower risk. New accounts aren't automatically problematic, but they warrant a brief message exchange before accepting.
Profile completeness: Guests with complete profiles (photo, bio, verifications) are more likely to be responsible travelers. Incomplete profiles are a soft flag.
Communication quality: Pay attention to how guests communicate before booking. Vague or evasive responses to basic questions ("How many guests?", "What brings you to Point Roberts?") can signal issues.
Booking purpose: Airbnb allows hosts to see the stated purpose of travel. Family vacation? Remote work retreat? Great. "Birthday party"? Proceed with caution.

Instant Book Settings

Instant Book is convenient but can be configured with screening requirements. On Airbnb, you can set Instant Book to only accept guests with verified ID, positive reviews, and/or a certain account age. This gives you the booking convenience of Instant Book with basic screening built in.

Booking Rules That Prevent Problems

Your booking rules and house rules are proactive screening tools. They set expectations before the booking is confirmed and give you grounds to address violations if they occur.

1Minimum stay requirements: 2–3 night minimums during shoulder season, 3–4 nights during peak season. Single-night bookings have a disproportionately higher risk of party-related issues.
2Maximum occupancy: Clearly state and enforce your maximum guest count. Overcrowding causes noise, parking, and septic issues — and signals a party booking.
3No-event clause: Explicitly state that events, parties, and gatherings beyond the registered guest count are not permitted. Platforms support this restriction.
4Quiet hours: 10 PM–8 AM quiet hours are standard and expected. State them clearly in your house rules.
5Parking limit: Specify the number of vehicles allowed. Excess vehicles are often the first sign of an overcrowded booking.
6Age requirement: Many hosts require the booking guest to be 25+ years old. This is legal and supported by platforms.

These rules don't just protect your property — they protect your relationship with your neighbors and the broader Point Roberts community. A reputation for well-managed properties benefits all STR owners in the area.

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Red Flags to Watch For

Experience teaches you to recognize patterns. Here are the most common red flags that experienced hosts watch for:

Last-minute bookings from local guests: Someone booking a vacation rental 20 minutes from their home on a Saturday night is more likely planning an event than a getaway.
Evasive answers about guest count: "It's just me and a few friends" without a specific number is a yellow flag. Ask directly: "How many total guests will be staying?"
New accounts with no reviews booking immediately: Not automatically problematic, but worth a brief message exchange to establish communication.
Requests to communicate off-platform: Legitimate guests are happy to use platform messaging. Requests to move to text or email can indicate someone trying to avoid platform accountability.
Excessive focus on late check-out or early check-in: While often innocent, combined with other flags, this can indicate someone trying to maximize time in the property for an event.
Booking for someone else: The person booking should be the person staying. "I'm booking for my nephew" requires additional scrutiny.

Trust, But Verify

A single red flag isn't a reason to decline. Multiple red flags are. If a booking request triggers your instincts, send a friendly message asking clarifying questions. Legitimate guests will respond openly and directly. People planning something problematic tend to become evasive or stop responding.

Damage Protection & Security Deposits

Even with excellent screening, occasional damage happens — a broken glass, a stained rug, a scratched table. These are normal costs of hospitality. Significant damage (broken furniture, wall damage, appliance destruction) is rare with proper screening but possible. Here's how to protect yourself:

Platform damage protection: Airbnb's AirCover provides up to $3 million in damage protection at no cost to hosts. VRBO offers similar programs. These are good baseline protection.
Security deposits: Platforms allow you to set a security deposit that's held (or authorized on the guest's card) during their stay. $250–$500 is typical for Point Roberts properties.
Photo documentation: Our cleaning team photographs the property after every turnover, before every check-in. This creates a timestamped record of property condition that's essential for damage claims.
STR insurance: Your dedicated STR insurance policy covers damage beyond what platform protection handles. This is your backstop for major incidents.
Damage reporting process: Document damage immediately with photos, report through the platform's resolution center within the required timeframe, and file an insurance claim if necessary.

Act Quickly on Damage Claims

Airbnb requires damage claims to be submitted within 14 days of checkout or before the next guest checks in — whichever comes first. Delayed claims are much harder to resolve. Our standard process includes a post-checkout inspection within hours, ensuring any damage is documented and reported immediately.

How STAY49 Handles Guest Screening

Guest screening is one of the areas where professional management provides the most value. Our team reviews hundreds of bookings per year and has developed pattern recognition that comes only from experience.

Pre-booking screening: We review every booking request (or Instant Book reservation) within hours, checking guest profiles, reviews, and communication for any flags.
Proactive communication: For new guests or flagged bookings, we send a friendly welcome message that includes key house rules and confirms guest count — this alone deters most problematic bookings.
House rule enforcement: We clearly communicate rules and have established processes for addressing violations quickly and professionally.
Neighbor relations: We provide our contact information to your neighbors, so concerns reach us directly — not you, and not a complaint board.
Incident documentation: In the rare event of a problem, we handle documentation, platform communication, and claim filing. You're informed but not burdened.

The combination of smart booking rules, platform-level filters, experience-based screening, and responsive management means our owners very rarely deal with guest-related problems. When they do occur, we handle them — that's what management is for.

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Guest Screening: How to Protect Your Property